Monthly Archives: March 2010

Are you concerned about pesticides and toxins on fruits and vegetables you eat daily? How often do you buy organic? Many fruits and vegetables available on the market are from conventional and commercial sources which use pesticides in farming practices.

It can be challenging to provide the healthiest choices for your family and stay on budget. Although organic is a good, healthy choice, there are ways to avoid the worst offenders, stay within your budget, and still eat healthy foods.

The following is a list of produce from conventional sources which contain the most and least pesticides (source, Environmental Working Group).

“Consistent with two previous EWG investigations, fruits topped the list of the consistently most contaminated fruits and vegetables, with seven of the 12 most contaminated foods. The seven were peaches leading the list, then apples, nectarines and strawberries, cherries, and imported grapes, and pears. Among these seven fruits:

Nectarines had the highest percentage of samples test positive for pesticides (97.3 percent), followed by peaches (96.7 percent) and apples (94.1 percent).

Peaches had the highest likelihood of multiple pesticides on a single sample – 87.0 percent had two or more pesticide residues — followed by nectarines (85.3 percent) and apples (82.3 percent).

Peaches and apples had the most pesticides detected on a single sample, with nine pesticides on a single sample, followed by strawberries and imported grapes where eight pesticides were found on a single sample of each fruit.

Peaches had the most pesticides overall, with some combination of up to 53 pesticides found on the samples tested, followed by apples with 50 pesticides and strawberries with 38.

Sweet bell peppers, celery, kale, lettuce, and carrots are the vegetables most likely to expose consumers to pesticides. Among these five vegetables:

Celery had the highest of percentage of samples test positive for pesticides (94.1 percent), followed by sweet bell peppers (81.5 percent) and carrots (82.3 percent).

Celery also had the highest likelihood of multiple pesticides on a single vegetable (79.8 percent of samples), followed by sweet bell peppers (62.2 percent) and kale (53.1 percent).

Sweet bell peppers had the most pesticides detected on a single sample (11 found on one sample), followed by kale (10 found on one sample), then lettuce and celery (both with nine).

Sweet bell peppers were the vegetable with the most pesticides overall, with 64, followed by lettuce with 57 and carrots with 40″.

Over half of the tomatoes (53.1 percent), broccoli (65.2 percent), eggplant (75.4 percent), cabbage (82.1 percent), and sweet pea (77.1 percent) samples had no detectable pesticides. Among the other three vegetables on the least-contaminated list (asparagus, sweet corn, and onions), there were no detectable residues on 90 percent or more of the samples.

Multiple pesticide residues are extremely rare on any of these least contaminated vegetables. Tomatoes had the highest likelihood, with a 13.5 percent chance of more than one pesticide when ready to eat. Onions and corn both had the lowest chance with zero samples containing more than one pesticide.

The greatest number of pesticides detected on a single sample of any of these low-pesticide vegetables was five (as compared to 11 found on sweet bell peppers, the vegetable with the most residues on a single sample).

Broccoli had the most pesticides found on a single type of vegetable, with up to 28 pesticides, but far fewer than the most contaminated vegetable, sweet bell peppers, on which 64 were found.

The fruits least likely to have pesticide residues on them are avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, papayas, watermelon and grapefruit.

Fewer than 10 percent of pineapple, mango, and avocado samples had detectable pesticides on them, and fewer than one percent of samples had more than one pesticide residue.

Though 54.5 percent of grapefruit had detectable pesticides, multiple residues are less common, with only 17.5 percent of samples containing more than one residue. Watermelon had residues on 28.1 percent of samples, and just 9.6 percent had multiple pesticide residues”.

According to Environmental Working Group:

People who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables ingest an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who ate from the 15 least contaminated list, only ingested 2 or less pesticides a day.

Pesticides are known to interfere with many bodily functions, including poisoning, infertility, and birth defects. Children are especially at risk as their body proportions are smaller, they are in the growing and developing stages of life, and their metabolisms are faster which means substances travel faster in the body.

In another recent study, the effects of pesticides were studied in children and the following was found:

“Current EPA standards of exposure for some pesticides assume children are three to five times more susceptible than adults, and for other pesticides the standards assume no difference,” said Nina Holland (a principal author of the study) stated: “Our study is the first to show quantitatively that young children may be more susceptible to certain organophosphate pesticides up to age seven. Our results suggest that the EPA standards need to be re-examined to determine if they are adequately protecting the most vulnerable members of the population.”

Organophosphate pesticides are insecticides used on farms, but some are manufactured for use in the home to eliminate or repel insects such as ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and other pests. These purpose of these chemicals are intended to disable the nervous system of insects. As reported by the National Pesticide Information Center, many common brands (pdf) use organophosphates in insecticides.

As with other manufactured chemicals, these are suspected as being the cause of various serious health problems in humans. In World War I, similar chemicals were created to be used as nerve gases, and may affect reproductive, brain, and other development. Some pesticides contain toxins that have been found to cause weight gain, among other health problems.

The EPA has the responsibility of pulling these products from the shelves, but often doesn’t take action until health issues have become chronic and widespread. It is not uncommon for profitable pesticides to remain on the market many, many years after damage to human and environmental health is discovered.

Here are some ways to minimize your child’s exposure to pesticides in and out of the home:

At home and in garden areas, avoid the use of pesticides as much as possible, and look to Beyond Pesticides for the least-toxic method for dealing with unwanted insects and pests that invade your home.

Read about the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen foods reported to contain the most pesticides, and learn about a great new resource from the Pesticide Action Network at whatsonmyfood.org. When shopping for food choose organic as much as you are able, and reduce the number of opportunities of exposure to pesticides for your children.

Don’t be afraid to have discussions with school staff and administrators, friends, and neighbors and friends about habits of pesticide usage. When facing a pest problem, a safe “integrated pest management” protocol can usually achieve the same or better results as a chemical pesticide.

You can make your own natural formulas at home to repel mosquitoes and other unwanted pests with the following essential oils and a good carrier oil such as coconut oil or almond oil: citronella, lemon eucalyptus, cinnamon, castor, rosemary, lemongrass, cedar, peppermint, clove, pennyroyal, lavender, pine, basil, thyme, allspice, garlic, or geranium. You only need a few drops of oil mixed into carrier oil on your skin. Make certain your oils are labeled “food grade” or “therapeutic grade” and are suitable for topical application on the bottle. Depending on how long you are outside and perspiration, frequent re-application may be necessary.

Growing your own food is a great option to be able to control how your food is produced. Gardening can take on a large or small scale production, and is a good way to save money on produce, teach your children about growing food, and reduce your exposure to pesticides. Here’s my latest post on what I’ve learned about gardening over the last few years in my own backyard.

Studies done on pesticide use and effect on human health are still in the early stages. Because there are still so many things we may not know about the overall impact on health and the environment, research on your own to find out information about these chemicals and above all, err on the side of caution when it comes to exposure to risks you know are there.

Shop locally as many farmers in local markets grow foods that are economical and don’t use pesticides and other dangerous chemicals.

If you are unable to avoid produce with pesticides, use careful washing methods. Here’s a good home-made wash: fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray solution onto your vegetables. Rub it in and rinse. For soft-skinned produce, fill a bowl with equal parts water and vinegar, place your produce in the bowl and soak for a minute or two, then rinse.

My own personal opinion is that any child or human being is susceptible to health harms from pesticides. Any product developed to kill a living organism is likely to pose a threat to human health. I’m a bit puzzled as to why the study concluded that only children age 7 and under are more vulnerable, but it shows that these findings are valid and are being investigated more and more, which I think is extremely important. The conclusion I draw from findings like this is to be informed and take precautions in all aspects of life when dealing with pesticides.

What do Jamie Oliver – British chef and The Child Nutrition Act have in common? Both are mechanisms by which (hopefully) we are going to experience badly needed change in the way our children eat lunch and breakfasts in public schools.

How many times have you heard someone say what terrible food children eat for lunch at school? I’ve been hearing complaints since I was a little girl. It’s a sad state of affairs when people just accept the fact that children don’t receive healthy food at school. Our children are our future, and if we don’t provide them with the proper foundations in which to build that future, all will be lost.

The truth is, many parents agree that school lunches are pure garbage; I know because I am a parent who has worked on the school lunch initiative in my city of Boise, Idaho. Anyone who knows me understands how passionate I am about real food, and especially about children’s health.

My team, comprised of other parents (one a medical doctor and the other an exercise physiologist) did an analysis of several main entrees that are served in our district and presented our findings to the school administrators. Despite the startling scientific evidence showing the negative impact that these particular foods and many others we were calling into question have on human health, the individuals attending our presentation were largely unmoved by this data – as is evident by the fact that this food is still served in school lunch cafeterias in Boise, Idaho and other school districts today.

I’ve also had numerous conversations with other parents who are tired of having to send their children to school and eat the food that is served. Some of them are so fed up they send lunches with their children. That’s exactly what I did when my son attended school for one year, during his second grade year.

Chef Jamie Oliver of Britain has been making changes for years in different places – his home country, and now this country. He is on a mission to change how our children eat their meals. Airing on ABC this week is a very important series about his efforts to go into an American school in Virginia and show them just how important these changes can be. Here’s the preview of the first episode, which aired on Sunday March 21st, 2010:

Don’t miss the next episode airing on Friday, March 26th of Food Revolution. And please, please take a moment and read through this action item I received from Organic Valley today about making your voice heard about our children’s health and future. Nothing, in my opinion, could be more important than this!
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Dear Farm Friend,

Childhood obesity and diabetes are at epidemic levels in our country. At Organic Valley, we promote the benefits of delicious, healthy eating, but realize that some children have little access to the nutritious foods that they need.

You can make a difference in the lives of more than 31 million children by helping schools serve healthier food. The National School Lunch program is a big part of the solution. Ask Congress to pass a strong Child Nutrition Act.

Right now, legislators are considering changes that will enable more schools to buy food from local farmers, cook fresh meals, teach healthy eating, and plant school gardens. This is an enormous opportunity for families and for farmers. Slow Food USA’s Time for Lunch campaign website makes it easy for you to email your legislators.

Helping more schools serve healthy, local food would be a major step forward towards a future where everyone can enjoy food that’s good for us, good for the planet and good for the farmers who produce it.

The Senate Agriculture Committee will begin marking up the bill this Wednesday, March 24, so your timely comments make a difference. Please take a moment to speak out at Slow Food USA’s Time for Lunch. Then, contact us at rootstock@organicvalley.coop to let us know you took action.

Thanks for all you do!
The Farmers and Staff of Organic Valley
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Do you have some experience dealing with your school district and trying to make change where you live? Please share!